A Little Holiday Spirit
by Starsky's Strut
Summary: A little holiday story. Enjoy!


All usual disclaimers apply, I don't own the rights, I don't get money and this is for entertainment only. Please excuse any errors; they are entirely mine.

This is just a little holiday story for everyone. Seasons Greetings all - Enjoy!

**A** **Little** **Holiday Spirit  
**By Starsky's Strut

"I can't believe that we are stuck on duty on Christmas Eve, it ain't fair!" Starsky slammed his palm down hard on the Torino's steering wheel.

Hutch opened his mouth to respond.

"And don't you start in on me about my 'euphoric sentimentalism' and how merchants are profiting from it" Starsky shot a warning look at the blond.

Hutch again opened his mouth.

"Don't say it! I don't wanna hear it!" He squeezed the steering wheel harder, his knuckles whitening. "You can't even list the twelve reindeer by name. Hell, you can't even get two of them!" He shot another glare at the blond detective. "I'll bet you even had another tree planted in some park in my name for a present again this year! Would it have hurt to get that sweater I wanted? Huh?" Starsky angrily glanced sideways at his partner.

Hutch raised his index finger.

"And don't do that either! I know what you're going to say an' I don't wanna hear it!" Starsky groused.

Hutch rolled his eyes, put his hand back down and looked out the window. Starsky was clearly not in the mood to listen to anything. He just wanted to tell Starsky that he had just driven past the taco stand that he had wanted to get his supper from. It was no taco shell off Hutch's chest though. He smiled to himself and kept looking out the window so Starsky wouldn't see his smile and get the wrong idea.

The radio broke the uneasy silence in the Torino. All units were to be on the look out for, of all things, a robbery suspect that was dressed as Santa Clause. The perp was breaking into apartments and _stealing_ gifts.

"Of all the shitty things to do!" Starsky snapped "Why didn't that son of a bitch dress up as the Grinch? It woulda been more fitting!" He cranked the wheel in a hard left and squawked the tires as he pulled a u-turn and headed for the location of the last known sighting of the thieving Santa. The foam Star of David slid off the dash and into Hutch's lap. Hutch put it back on the dash.

Hutch keyed the mike "Zebra 3 is responding" He picked up the mars light and placed on the Torino's roof.

They made it to the corner of Elm and Pine Street just in time to see a bit of red disappear down the alley. "Zebra 3, suspect spotted at the intersection of Elm and Pine, we are in foot pursuit" Hutch opened the door as Starsky slammed on the brakes. The Torino slid into the curb and stopped.

Starsky was out and running down the alley, Hutch on his heels. The perp was fast and darted down the alley and scaled a tall wooden fence with athletic ease. Starsky bounced up and caught the edge of the fence; Hutch put his hand under the brunet's foot and boosted him up. He than jumped up to catch Starsky's hand and was assisted to the top.

Starsky dropped to the other side and scanned the trash filled alley for the false Santa.

Hutch dropped down beside him "Where'd he go?"

"Don't know, that sum-bitch was_ fast_" Starsky bolted down the alley and out the other side. The bad Santa was gone. "Double DAMN!" Starsky directed his anger at a beer can and kicked it into the street. It banged and clanged a long way before rolling to a stop in the gutter.

"Feel better?" Hutch dropped his hand onto the cranky detective's shoulder.

"No! Dammit… I'm gonna find him and give him a little _extra_ special Christmas cheer" He smashed his left fist into his right palm. "How could anyone dress up as Santa and STEAL presents? I sure hope no kids saw him do that, they'd be scarred for life!"

The pair walked around the block, back to the Torino, still scanning the area for the thief. They turned the last corner and walked back towards the car. It was jacked-up and all of the tires were gone. The red mars light spun round and round, mocking them.

"Oh no! NO! NO! NO!" Starsky ran back to the car. He skidded to a halt and stared in disbelief at the empty wheel wells. He dropped down to his knees and looked under the car. Cinderblocks were all that held it up. He stood back up.

Hutch arrived at his friend's side. He pressed his lips tightly together, making a grim line on his face. Starsky really did not deserve this, and on Christmas Eve too. He put his arm across the curly haired detective's shoulders. It wouldn't have been nice to have happened on any other day, but tonight? Nope. Not fair at all, a most unkind cut.

"Aww dammit Starsk" He patted the rigid shoulders as Starsky slowly pulled away from him. He was at a loss for words and could only watch as Starsky's head dropped a little lower.

"Why Hutch? Why? We came here to stop a thief and somebody steals my car tires, I just don't understand" He shook his head slowly "I just don't understand; it's Christmas…" it was barely audible "whatever happened to the Holiday spirit?"

"Aww, buddy-"A bit of red movement caught Hutch's eye. "There he is!" He pelted down the sidewalk to where he had seen the flash of red. Starsky trotted half heartedly behind him.

Hutch entered yet another alley and peered into the darkness; he pulled his Magnum out and waited for Starsky to arrive.

Starsky pulled his Beretta once he reached Hutch's side "Well, where'd he go?" The eagerness he had shown for the chase was gone. He would do his job, but he wasn't happy about it.

A bit of metal pinged in the dark alley. The duo looked up and a figure moved from the fire escape to the rooftop.

"Terrific" Starsky gritted his teeth, put his gun away and grabbed the lowest rung of the ladder and began to climb. He held each rung tightly and carefully, heights just were not his thing and he liked falling from them even less. Hutch followed right behind him.

Starsky gained the rooftop and scrutinized the area carefully, looking for the perp and any hiding places that the bad guy might be. He pulled his gun once more and cautiously moved away from the ladder, allowing Hutch to join him. He flicked his hand to the left, Hutch nodded and flicked his to the right and they separated to check the area.

Starsky eased his way around the TV antennas and pipes, moving quietly towards the building's massive air-conditioning unit. He peeked around the corner of the unit and did a double take. He pressed his back against the unit and took a deep breath and peeked once more. It was still there. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. It was _still_ there. He pressed his back yet again to the unit and scrunched his eyelids down tightly.

Hutch had finished his circuit on the rooftop and worriedly headed for Starsky's side. The curly haired detective had not made it to the predetermined rendezvous spot. He edged towards the ancient air-conditioning unit and heaved a sigh of relief when he spotted his friend. He moved to the brunet's side and whispered "Found him?"

Starsky turned his head and slowly shook it and with wide eyes motioned him to look around the corner. Hutch gave him an odd look and peered around the corner. He slammed back against the unit.

"Did you see it?" Starsky whispered; his heart racing.

"No! And neither did you!" Hutch rasped back, sweat forming on his brow, his face was ashen.

Starsky moved back around the corner of the AC unit and stared.

"Starsky! What are you doing?!" Hutch rasped "Get back here!" He grabbed for his friend's arm. Starsky pulled it away from Hutch's grasp.

"No Hutch, we have to accept it. It's right in FRONT of us! We just have to take this like men" Starsky put his hands on his hips and looked unblinkingly at the scene before him.

Hutch made his way to his partner's side and rubbed his eyes and stared at the unbelievable sight. It was still there… correction…_ they_ were still there.

"I still see it… them, whatever…" Starsky began counting.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Counting"

"What for?" Hutch snapped, exasperated.

"Hutch, I have ta know… eight"

"I know how many there are" Hutch snapped sarcastically "there are eight tiny reindeer Starsky, not twelve"

"No, you're forgetting Rudolph, so that would be nine, but he's not here… pity, I would have liked to have seen him" He glanced around the rooftop, hoping to spot a red nose.

"Rudolph is a child's story, fiction, Starsk"

"Maybe not. You're lookin' at the same thing as I am"

"We are hallucinating"

"Face it Hutch, we are looking at eight tiny – live – reindeer that are harnessed up and attached to a sled, that has wheels on it… not my wheels though" Starsky wiped his brow, he really didn't want to have to book Santa for tire theft.

"Merry Christmas!" A jolly voice called to them

Hutch cringed and closed his eyes.

Starsky turned and stared wide-eyed at the jolly old Elf. "Wow" It was a gasp of sound.

"You two have been very, very good this year!" Santa praised. "You almost lost the Christmas spirit here tonight David…"

Starsky ducked his head.

"But, that's to be expected in your line of work, so I thought I would let you see me to remind you of all the good that you BOTH do. Kenny…"

Hutch cracked open one eye.

"My, my you have grown. You act like you don't like Christmas, but you actually have the spirit of Christmas in you every day. I've seen you handing out money and other necessities to those in need, you do it year round. You truly are a White Knight"

Starsky nudged the blushing blond with his elbow and chuckled "Ha! I knew you had it in you!"

"Well boys, I've gotta be going now, busy night for me, you know" The Elf winked and in a twinkling, he and the reindeer were gone.

The pair blinked and looked around the vacant rooftop. It was as if nothing had happened. Then they heard a noise. They headed in the direction of the sound and found a man in a Santa suit tied up to a chimney with a big red ribbon. A big bag of stolen goods sat beside him.

They untied the perp and took the stairs back to ground level and walked back to the Torino.

The mars light was still spinning merrily around, the light reflected off a big white bow that now sat upon the roof of the car. Four brand new tires filled the once empty wheel wells.

Starsky looked at Hutch "Merry Christmas partner!"

"Merry Christmas to you too!"

The End

Seasons Greetings to all!

God bless us, everyone! – Tiny Tim (Charles Dickens)


End file.
